Rail connection



Feb. 24, 1942;.

l B. c. MONROE 2,274,493

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Patented Feb. 24, 1942y UNITED STATES jTENr formes RAIL CONNECTION V Benjamin Cullen Monroe, Tuscola, Ill. ApplicatOll April 27, 1940, Serial N0. 331,923

(Cl. 23S-167) 2 Claims.

This invention relates in general 'to an adaptable rail connection for joining a standard rail with the projection of a crossing member.

An important object of the invention is in the provision of a rail member in which the ball is tapered in width from end to end, the small end being cut at a point necessary to t the size of a `rail ball on the standard rail and the Wider end of the rail conforming to the upper andvvider surface of the crossing member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rail connection with a seat on the crossing member for receiving an adaptable rail of standard height and for providing a recess communieating' therewith for the firm attachment of an end connector or sh plate.

A still further object of the invention is in the provision of an adaptable rail having a ball tapered in width from end to end but of uniform Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In connecting a standard rail to a crossing member of the standard-heavier type now commonly used for railroad crossings it is desirable to provide'a Wheel contact surface which conforms exactly to the ball of a standard rail and also has a Wider upper contact surface which conforms more nearly tothe Wider wheel contact surface of the crossing member. The present invention accomplishes these results by providing an adaptable rail connector with a tapered ball or head and of standard height, thickness of web and Width of flange, the crossing end of the rail being seated firmly upon a seat provided for that purpose on the crossing member, which is of greater depth or height than the height of a standard rail.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, an adaptable rail 5 is connected at one end to the end of a standard rail 6 by end connectors or sh plates 1 and fastening bolts 8 and to a 55 projection 9 of a crossing member I0 at the other end.

The adaptable rail 5 has a ball or head II Which tapers in width from one end to the other With an inner or gauge side I2 in alignment with the corresponding inner side of the standard rail 6 and with the corresponding flange groove I3 at the top of the crossing member. The increased Width is therefore at the outer side I4 of the adaptable rail and the flange I5 may be uniform in Width throughout, conforming to the height of a standard rail and the thickness of a rail web I6 may also be uniform throughout or may be tapered in thickness throughout the length of the rail to correspond with the tapering of the ball or head II.

At the smaller end of the rail it may be cut transversely at a point necessary to t the size of the rail ball or head on the standard rail to `which it is connected.

To provide a firm connection for the rail at the crossing end, an angular seat I'I is provided at the upper end of the crossing projection I3 of a height equal to the height of the adaptable rail 5 or a standard rail to be connected thereto, the height of the crossing being considerably greater than that of a standard rail and seated upon deeper or firmer -supports so that the top of the crossing will be level with the upper surfaces of the rails. In order to secure the end of the adaptable rail to the crossing member a recess I8 extends at the outer side of the projection I3 from the end of the seat II in alignment with the outer side of the rail web so that an end connector or fish plate 'I when connected to the outer side of the adapter rail is rmly secured by fastening bolts 20 which extend into threaded holes provided at the bottom of the recess I8.for that purpose.

With this construction a rail connection is provided Which conforms to any crossing and any standard size of rail; a smooth and level surface is provided not only at the connection With the standard rail but also with the crossing member, and additional means is provided for securely supporting and attaching the rail to the crossing member, insuring alignment of the inner'or guide side of the rail and the guide side of the crossing iiangeway.

I claim: 1. The combination of a standard railroa rail, Va railroad crossing composed of intersecting pairs of crossing members of greater Width and depth than the standard rail and having ange grooves in their tops and extended beyond their points of intersection forming projections, and an adaptable rail of the same height throughout its length and tapered in width from end to end with the graduated thickness added on the outside of the ball, the gauge sides of the adaptable rail aligning with the ilange groove of the crossing member, the larger end of the adaptable rail being seated on the associated projection in the plane of the bottom of the standard rail with the top of the adaptable rail flush With the top of the crossing member and the top of the standard rail and the smaller end of the adaptable rail being of the same height and Width as the standard rail.

2. The combination of a standard railroad rail, a railroad crossing composed of intersecting pairs of crossing members of greater width and depth than the standard rail and having flange grooves in their tops and extended beyond their points of intersection forming projecadaptable rail being seated on said supporting surface with its top Iiush with the top of the crossing member and with the top of the standard rail and the smaller end being of the same height and Width as the standard rail, and a sh plate secured to the web of the adaptable rail and tted in said fish plate receiving recess and secured to said projection.

BENJAMN CULLEN MONROE. 

